The yarns: Intended
to illustrate the spirit of the Romanian traditions, this stamp-like stained glass
meets some of the most recognizable cultural symbols.
Once the central image was chosen (paying homage to a
beautiful drawing circulating over the internet, perhaps
a real post stamp), the dancers’ stature was established
in such a way that their charm would dominate the room,
catch eyes, and make friends with the visitors. The
opalescent glass selection for the dancing figures
serves well, making them stay afloat when used in
conjunction with the wispy and rather transparent glass
background. Cloudy bright yellows remind of the mellow
wheat fields of Romania. A passepartout frames them
suitably. The vertical border design comes from an
iconic sculpture by the Romanian sculptor Constantin
Brancusi (1876-1956) called “The Endless Column” — an
“axis mundi” connecting the Earth to Heaven. Regarded as
one of the most influential artists of the modern
sculpture, Brancusi’s famous column received a
symmetrical downward extension that further connects the
Earth to Hell. Earth must be the golden mean, says
Aristotle. The vibrant green of the glass chosen for it,
instead of an inert rocky grey as in the original, gives
it an organic substance — a living essence. The
horizontal borders resemble the carving style of the large wooden gates
found in the northern regions of Romania.

Challenges: Its unusually large size required special measures for handling and assembly.

Light play: East-facing window receives full sunshine all morning until midday in winter, displaying a very bright and colourful image; at nights, indoor dim lighting brightens it softly, as seen from the outside, combined with reflective colours from soffit lights.